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Whatever your budget, there's a rack here for you Spin Bikes For Home
If you're a regular gym-goer, you'll have experienced the single most annoying thing about training around other people: having to wait for the squat rack.
So, why not do yourself a favour and avoid all that nonsense by investing in a home squat rack, which you can do from as little as £55. Obviously, getting to train you legs, as well as using it for your bench presses, pull-ups and resistance band work, from the comfort of your own home is another benefit of making the investment.
To help you get started, we've compiled a list of the best squat racks for working out at home (power cages or power racks, to some), along with size dimensions, that will form the base of your home gym level-up. Let's go.
If you strength train regularly and want to improve your home gym set-up, a squat rack is a brilliant place to start. Paired with the right barbell, you can elevate your home workouts to elite status. Designed to hold an Olympic-sized barbell, you can also adjust the height of the J-hooks according to your height and, on some models, even rep out pull-ups, muscle-ups and toes-to-bar.
Squat racks aren't just for the WFH CrossFit crowd — at-home powerlifters can cash in on them, too. They're perfect for overhead pressing, bench pressing, back squats, front squats, rack pulls and deadlifts. You can even bicep curl in them and ignore the Globo gym rules as you're training at home. What's more, you can attach TRX systems, Olympic rings and ab straps to them to elevate your workout to a full-body session.
Unfortunately, there are a few potential drawbacks to owning a squat rack. For example, you'll need the space in which to install it. Garages, outbuildings and backyards are ideal, so be sure to check our measurement guide below. Similarly, you'll need the depth of space to keep them installed and out of the way. For some, folding squat racks are the solution to this, which neatly collapse when not in use.
To prove how versatile your new squat rack can be, here are a few of our go-to exercises when we hit the weights room.
Lie back on a flat bench holding a barbell in the squat rack above you with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Lift the bar off the rack and position it above your chest with arms fully extended. From the starting position, breathe in and lower the bar slowly off the squat rack, until it skims the middle of your chest. Push the bar back to the starting position explosively as you breathe out. That’s one.
With your feet at shoulder width, hold a barbell across your chest. Then, lift your elbows high to secure the bar on your shoulders. Maintain an upright torso and push your hips back, bending your knees until your thighs pass parallel to the floor. Stand back up to the start position.
Stand with your feet more than shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell across your upper back with an overhand grip – avoid resting it on your neck. Hug the bar into your traps to engage your upper back muscles. Slowly sit back into a squat with head up, back straight and backside out. Lower until your hips are aligned with your knees, with your legs at 90 degrees – a deeper squat will be more beneficial but get the strength and flexibility first. Drive your heels into the floor to push yourself explosively back up. Keep form until you’re stood up straight: that’s one.
Set up a barbell on a squat rack. Keeping your core tight and back neutral, drive your hips forward and pull your shoulders back to deadlift the bar up to the top position. Return to the squat rack and repeat.
Set up a barbell on a squat rack. Keeping your core tight and back neutral, grip the barbell with overhand grip and hold it shoulder-width apart. Raise your shoulders as high as you can go, then lower them back down and repeat.
Grab the pull-up handles of the squat rack with your palms facing away from you and your arms fully extended. Your hands should be around shoulder-width apart. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, exhale and drive your elbows towards your hips to bring your chin above the bar. Lower under control back to the start position.
Remove the barbell from the squat rack and hold it at shoulder height with palms facing forwards. Set your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend your knees to initiate the move. Push up with your legs to explosively press the barbell straight above your head. Return under control to the start position.
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This two-part, freestanding squat rack comes with 13 different rack levels, 10 width settings, and six spotter levels at 5cm increments to suit a range of heights and bar sizes. It's designed to handle a max weight of 200kg and the framing is made from heavy-duty steel.
Measuring 69cm deep and 1.17m wide, if you're short on space, this squat rack offers the best of both worlds: a decent quality build for heavy lifting without taking up too much real estate. It's not as heavy duty as some of the power racks we feature below, but as a compact all-rounder for your your average lifter, it's a capable home squat rack for the modest price tag.
This compact, commercial-grade squat stand set is an ideal buy for experienced lifters who don't have much space to play with. 'The Bulldog Gear BSSR-i Indy Squat Rack is a durable and cost effective training solution designed to enable versatility in any Strength & Conditioning programme. A Rigid and robust squat rack, the BSSR-i is suitable for squatting, pressing and benching,' reads the description.
No matter your training style, this squat rack from Again Faster is sure to suit your workout. With a maximum load of 315kg, you can confidently work towards your PB without compromising your safety.
A multi-grip pull-up bar comes as standard, alongside plastic-lined J-cups, safety spotter pins and base weight storage. If you have the space for a full power rack, this from Again Faster is exceptional value for money.
Short on space? No dramas. This wall-mounted squat rack folds away to a slim profile to keep your home workout space free without compromising on quality.
It's slightly lighter than other similar squat racks as it has to be fixed onto a wall, however it can still accommodate up to 350kg of weight on the main rack and 150kg on the pull-up bar – plenty for your home gym needs.
This minimalist multi-press and squat rack from Argos' Pro Fitness range is ideal for developing your upper and lower body with pull-ups, press exercises, and squats, without breaking the bank. Simple to install and fitted with multi-position height adjustment bar holders, it has a max weight capacity of 150kg on the top bar and a 135kg limit for the barbell bar.
No gimmicks here. This squat rack — a "power rack" — features two spotter bars to keep you safe, four barbell rests, two plate holders and a multi-grip pull up bar with multiple positions. It also has soft touch handles so that you can train your triceps and complete full extension dips.
One of Amazon's highest-rated squat rack, JX Fitness' offering comes with five adjustable height differences and can take up to 200kg — slightly more than the standard options — thanks to its heavy-duty frame.
Just like leg workouts, it can be hard to hit your dips at home. With a max load of 250kg and dip bars to smash your triceps, this adjustable squat rack has 13 different rack heights with 5cm intervals.
Suitable for lifting novices and experienced bodybuilders, Jordan's heavy duty squat rack is compatible with a full-length 7ft Olympic bar. It also easily adjusts vertically and horizontally via a simple screw system.
This folding, wall-mounted squat rack only takes 30 seconds to set-up and features 26 different heights from 38cm to 164cm with adjustable J-hooks and a pull-up bar that, with a resistance band, can double as a support for chin-ups and pull-downs.
A heavy duty squat rack ideal for someone with the room and the budget, this steel-constructed squat rack includes a land-mine functional trainer, removable dipping bars, six resistance band training loops for progressive training, 11 adjustable height racks and eight integrated weight storage bars with a narrow 30mm-grip chin-up and pull-up bar above.
Both a squat rack and a multi-weight gym, Marcy's smith machine helps you hit heavy squats, shoulder work, chest workouts and much more with one piece of equipment. High-to-low pulleys also double up as a cable machine for seated rows, bicep curls, push downs, side raises and much more. Plus, at the top of the squat rack, a multi-angled pull-up bar helps you build a bigger back at home.
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